was
painfully candid most of the time. Nor had she ever met a single
friend of his who had seemed objectionable or dishonest.
Valentine reached out one hand to her. "Well, say something, for
pity's sake, Dove. Anything but sit accusing me with your eyes of
crimes I can hardly dare to even guess at!" he rasped.
She sighed, and gave a curt nod. "Very well, my Lord Starbury. If
I must marry you, so be it. More marriages are forced than not.
But that is where my duty to you ends. I will be a wife, but not
willingly. You in turn will be my protector, as per the oath you
will give."
"Aye, and your husband, and the man who will love you, Dove, as no
one has ever loved you before. I want no political match, my
sweet, but a real marriage."
"That remains to be seen," she said as she rose to her feet, her
back ramrod straight. "But now, having made this decision, I shall
point out that I am in no one's charge at the moment. Therefore, I
shall do as I please."
"Anything you like, only—"
"I wish to see neither back nor front of you until our wedding
day. Good morrow to you."
She forced herself not to look into the eyes begging for something
she could not understand nor give him.
"Is there nothing else you care to say so close to the day when we
will be joined forever in matrimony?" he asked incredulously.
She shook her head. "My marriage to you is meant to be a
punishment. It shan't do me a bit of good."
"Are you the only person you can think about? Do all your liaisons
exist for your own convenience?"
"Liaisons! Hah! I'm sure yours do! And that's the question that
worries me most, my Lord. Just what do you hope to gain
out of marrying me?"
His teeth ground together audibly. "I had hoped for a reasonable
helpmeet and companion, but all you seem to care for are your own
needs. As for me winning a bride whom all might envy, I have to
say, I know of no one who is particularly enamored of you or
enjoys your company," he fired back.
"Then what are you doing here?" she fumed. "Begone if you find
being with me so tedious." She folded her arms over her chest with
a flounce.
"I came to try to settle things between us more amicably. I
thought we were getting along better once you forgot my idiocy
over the whole bat guano thing the second time we met."
Despite herself, she smiled. And even though she tried to suppress
it, she couldn't help remembering his magnificent physique that
evening, the way he had been so near, so compelling…
The shock of
hitting the water was nothing compared to what assailed her
senses next. Valentine's arms wound round Denys and brought her
to her feet. Their brief contact sent the stars and all their
brilliance searing through her body, as this intense surge
drained all her energy.
They stood now, both waist-deep in the water. Her bodice clung to
her breasts, rising and falling rhythmically as she breathed. She
could feel his intensifying breath fanning across her cheek.
Before he could touch her any further, she stumbled out of the
water, dragging her skirts behind her, her fists flailing through
the air to fend him off, even as her arms ached to pull him
closer...
"Forgot, you say," she said, arching one brow. "I could never
forget that meeting, my Lord, for the insults to my person, by a
drunken lout naked in the river, were well nigh unforgettable. As
is my recollection of my revenge for your deplorable remarks, you
having to make your way back to the palace starkers after I stole
your clothing. Forget? Nay, never, for 'tis the only encounter
with you I have ever even mildly enjoyed."
He ignored the barbs with obvious effort, refusing to go over old
ground when time was wasting. "But more importantly, Denys, I
wanted to tell you that the information I gave you was not concocted to send you to your death. To tell you that I tried to
help you in your quest, and truly regret not being able to
painfully candid most of the time. Nor had she ever met a single
friend of his who had seemed objectionable or dishonest.
Valentine reached out one hand to her. "Well, say something, for
pity's sake, Dove. Anything but sit accusing me with your eyes of
crimes I can hardly dare to even guess at!" he rasped.
She sighed, and gave a curt nod. "Very well, my Lord Starbury. If
I must marry you, so be it. More marriages are forced than not.
But that is where my duty to you ends. I will be a wife, but not
willingly. You in turn will be my protector, as per the oath you
will give."
"Aye, and your husband, and the man who will love you, Dove, as no
one has ever loved you before. I want no political match, my
sweet, but a real marriage."
"That remains to be seen," she said as she rose to her feet, her
back ramrod straight. "But now, having made this decision, I shall
point out that I am in no one's charge at the moment. Therefore, I
shall do as I please."
"Anything you like, only—"
"I wish to see neither back nor front of you until our wedding
day. Good morrow to you."
She forced herself not to look into the eyes begging for something
she could not understand nor give him.
"Is there nothing else you care to say so close to the day when we
will be joined forever in matrimony?" he asked incredulously.
She shook her head. "My marriage to you is meant to be a
punishment. It shan't do me a bit of good."
"Are you the only person you can think about? Do all your liaisons
exist for your own convenience?"
"Liaisons! Hah! I'm sure yours do! And that's the question that
worries me most, my Lord. Just what do you hope to gain
out of marrying me?"
His teeth ground together audibly. "I had hoped for a reasonable
helpmeet and companion, but all you seem to care for are your own
needs. As for me winning a bride whom all might envy, I have to
say, I know of no one who is particularly enamored of you or
enjoys your company," he fired back.
"Then what are you doing here?" she fumed. "Begone if you find
being with me so tedious." She folded her arms over her chest with
a flounce.
"I came to try to settle things between us more amicably. I
thought we were getting along better once you forgot my idiocy
over the whole bat guano thing the second time we met."
Despite herself, she smiled. And even though she tried to suppress
it, she couldn't help remembering his magnificent physique that
evening, the way he had been so near, so compelling…
The shock of
hitting the water was nothing compared to what assailed her
senses next. Valentine's arms wound round Denys and brought her
to her feet. Their brief contact sent the stars and all their
brilliance searing through her body, as this intense surge
drained all her energy.
They stood now, both waist-deep in the water. Her bodice clung to
her breasts, rising and falling rhythmically as she breathed. She
could feel his intensifying breath fanning across her cheek.
Before he could touch her any further, she stumbled out of the
water, dragging her skirts behind her, her fists flailing through
the air to fend him off, even as her arms ached to pull him
closer...
"Forgot, you say," she said, arching one brow. "I could never
forget that meeting, my Lord, for the insults to my person, by a
drunken lout naked in the river, were well nigh unforgettable. As
is my recollection of my revenge for your deplorable remarks, you
having to make your way back to the palace starkers after I stole
your clothing. Forget? Nay, never, for 'tis the only encounter
with you I have ever even mildly enjoyed."
He ignored the barbs with obvious effort, refusing to go over old
ground when time was wasting. "But more importantly, Denys, I
wanted to tell you that the information I gave you was not concocted to send you to your death. To tell you that I tried to
help you in your quest, and truly regret not being able to
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